


A Model of Decorum and Tranquility

by allfireburns



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Banter, Comment Fic, Gen, POV Third Person, pedeconferences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-06
Updated: 2009-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-04 05:23:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allfireburns/pseuds/allfireburns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>C.J. likes to think of herself as the sane and rational one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Model of Decorum and Tranquility

C.J. Cregg dearly liked to think of herself as a sane and rational person, in a place where sanity and rationality were often in short supply. When things all went to hell and Toby started ranting, Sam began his (usually quiet) meltdown, Leo and the president sequestered themselves in the Oval Office or in Leo's for indefinite lengths of time, and Josh just started pacing like a caged animal, C.J. liked to be the one who was unfailingly calm.

However, when it was noon and nothing was concluded, a certain amount of decorum, she decided, could be thrown out the window.

"Leo!" she snapped as the door to his office swung open in front of her. She knew she meant to say something else after that, but the look of surprise and confusion on Leo's face while he stood in the doorway with one hand on the doorknob momentarily drove it from her mind.

It took a moment for Leo to say anything, and when he did, it was a simple, "I'm not the one you want," as he stepped past her, closed the door behind him, and started down the hall. C.J. followed.

"Why not?"

"Because I have nothing to tell you," Leo answered without bothering to look over his shoulder at her. C.J. made a point to take a deep breath before speaking.

"I have to meet with the press in a little over an hour, Leo, you can't _tell_ me you don't have anything to tell me."

_Now_ Leo stopped and turned to look at her. "That was a truly impressive sentence."

"Leo..."

"Talk to Sam and Josh."

"And they'll have something I can tell the press?"

"With any luck."

She sighed and turned the other way down the hall, calling back to him, "If they end up being useless, I'm coming after you!"

"I'll take that into account."

All things considered, he seemed to be a lot less concerned than C.J. would like him to be.

She passed by Donna's desk on her way, and asked simply, "Josh?"

"In his office," Donna said, rising from her chair to follow her.

"And Sam?" C.J. asked without turning to look at her - she knew Donna would be right on her heels.

"With him."

"Thank you." She threw open the door without preamble. Both Josh and Sam jumped about a foot in the air. Donna hovered in the doorway, just behind C.J.'s shoulder. "One of you owes me a detailed explanation of what's going on here in the next half-hour, or else."

Josh and Sam stared at her. C.J. took a breath.

"That was really all I wanted to say."

She turned to walk away, stepping around Donna with a tight smile as she did so.

"Or else _what_?" she heard Josh ask behind her.

"I think the implication was that she'd have you dismembered and fed to the press," Donna supplied helpfully. "Or something."

"Thank you for that..."

"Uh-huh," Donna said brightly, backing out of the office to trail after C.J. "Is there anything I can do? I'll withhold bagels and coffee."

"No, I think I've got it under control. And you see how I did all that without losing my temper? That's because I'm the level-headed one here."


End file.
